Three Years Later
by Zoe Prince
Summary: It has been three years since Annabelle saw Simone being taken away by the police, alot has changed but the one thing she has never done is get the blonde out of her heart. Simone feels the same. Annabelle has been her every waking and sleeping thought.
1. Chapter 1

_I do not own the characters of Annabelle and Simone nor do I pretend to. This is my adaptation of what might have happened after we saw Simone being taken away in the police car. This story is a continuation from the movie "Loving Annabelle""_

**Three Years Later**

Annabelle looked out at the crowded auditorium. She couldn't believe she was here, getting ready to open for Ryan Adams.

She hadn't gone to college. She didn't even finish high school, dropping out right after Simone had been taken away. Simone, it still hurt to think of her. Annabelle knew she hadn't gone to prison; she'd made sure her mother had taken care of that. She had had to sell her soul for it to happen and promise to stay out of the papers but she would have walked through fire to help Simone.

For the last three years Annabelle had wanted to seek her out, tell her she still loved her, that she was sorry she had gotten her into trouble. For the last three years Annabelle had carried guilt so huge that she hadn't been with anyone since.

She had to shut it out right now or she wouldn't be able to perform. This was a dream come true, tonight was the deciding factor on whether she would make it or not in the music industry. She got ready at stage left and waited to be introduced.

"Let's all give a great big cheer for the new to the scene but extremely talented Miss A"

At the sound of her stage name she ran out… her set started and she lost her self in the moment.

Simone took her place in front of the stage ready to take the contracted photos. She hadn't heard of Miss A but she figured from her sound that she was going to be very popular so she figured she'd shoot a few shots before Ryan Adams came on.

There was something vaguely familiar about the young woman on stage. It was hard to tell exactly as she wore sunglasses for some unknown reason, a rock star thing Simone guessed. She would have been about 21 or so was tall and lean, toned more than skinny. Her hair was cropped and black. Nope Simone definitely didn't know her but there was something about her.

"I have one last song before handing you over to fabulous Ryan Adams" the girl on stage spoke "I haven't performed this for many years but I feel tonight's the night, especially as it's being released tomorrow. I wrote for someone special. Someone who I have never stopped thinking about."

With that Simone got up to move around to her specified "paparazzi spot" Ryan would be coming out as soon as the last cords were played on Miss A's set so she needed to be prepared. Nothing prepared her though for the strains that came from the stage.

"The space between what's wrong and right,  
you will find me waiting for you….."

Simone did the only thing she could, she ran.

Annabelle packed up her gear backstage. It had felt good to sing "All over me" again. She hadn't sung it in three years. She had secretly been hoping that Simone was in the crowd, hoping that she would hear the strains of the song meant entirely for her and step forward showing herself to Annabelle, declaring that she still thought about her too. Annabelle knew it had been too much to hope for and that she had only herself to blame for the let down.

She took her guitar case and loaded it into her Chevy truck. She drove home with tears silently falling down her face, never noticing the dark car tailing her.

"What the hell are you doing Simone?" Simone felt her brain shouting at her, telling her she was asking for trouble. She shouldn't have been following Annabelle but she had to know where she lived, had to know if she was with someone, was she happy? She trailed the black Chevy, secretly hoping the girl would notice being followed yet also praying she didn't.

When she turned into a gated community Simone admitted defeat, there was no way she could get in there unnoticed, and she pulled out and sped off.

She sent the photos she had taken of "Miss A" to the papers, she was going to be front page news, the new girl on the music scene was a hit. She had asked to have pseudonym when they credited her for the photos, she couldn't have it exposed that she had been near Annabelle.

She climbed into bed and drifted off to sleep, dreaming of that night.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2.

Annabelle awoke to a ringing phone. The sudden shot of light shooting through the window and into her eyes temporarily blinded her. Damn it she thought she'd shut the blind last night.

She reached for the phone and grumbled out a _"What!"_

"_Good morning to you too Annabelle."_

Damn it was her mother. The woman never called her so something must be up. What had she done this time? She hadn't done anything to disgrace her mother that she knew of but then that woman turned her nose up at a lot of things.

"_I just got up what more do you want?"_

"_You haven't seen today's paper then? You are front page news my dear… "_

Damn it, if she was front page news it had to be a mistake, she had been on her best behaviour for three years. What the hell had someone spun about her now?

"_Look mum I have no idea what's going on but I didn't do anything, I swear…"_

"_I'm not mad Annabelle. It's talking about your performance last night. They are pitting you as then next best thing and the town is proud to call you one of their own. Why didn't you tell me your were performing?"_

Wow, she was going to be the next big thing? Annabelle couldn't keep the smile off her face.

"_Anyway Annabelle, I think this will be great for me trying to reach the younger voters. I have arranged a press conference and would love you to be there to perform. Will you do it?"_

Seriously, Annabelle thought. The woman asked it as if Annabelle had a choice. She knew she couldn't say no.

"_Sure mum, where and when?"_

Simone looked at the new contract sheet and cringed. Damn it, she was supposed to take photographs at Senator Tillman's Press conference this afternoon. This in itself would have been fine, except for the fact that it also stated she was to collect some photos of the Senators daughter who would be appearing today as well. It was like the universe was mocking her, pushing her to the edge.

"_Damn it Delilah, I have told you before that I can't photograph Annabelle. _Just speaking her name brought forth the warmest of memories and the most painful of heart breaks._ It breaches the agreement."_

Delilah was the only one at the paper who knew about what had transpired between Simone and Annabelle. She had assured Simone that she would help her keep to the rules of the agreement which had procured her freedom, the top most one being Simone was not to be near Annabelle.

"_I know Simone, but you are our best photographer and you need the money. Look it will be so busy no one will even notice you."_

"_Yeah and if they do I go to jail for the next ten years."_

"_You are so dramatic Simone, seriously take a chill pill. Look I will try get someone else to do the job, but failing that you will have to go."_ With that Delilah walked out.

It was 2pm and the Press Conference was due to start in half an hour. Simone had arrived a little early as she knew it could take awhile to get through the security check. Delilah had had no luck in securing another photographer.

She self consciously checked over her denim jeans, red polo and suede jacket. She knew that she couldn't speak to Annabelle, and that she had to make sure that she wasn't even seen by Annabelle, but she still wanted to look good just in case.

As she handed over her press pass to be verified a hand grabbed her shoulder.

"_Miss Bradley, will you come this way please, the Senator would like to speak with you."_

Nervously Simone followed the security guard. Here goes she thought, back to the slammer.

Simone was lead to a small room that held no view. She was told to be seated and await the Senator.

After what seemed like an eternity later, the door opened and Senator Tillman entered.

"_Miss Bradley, _I_ had a call today from a Delilah, she was pleading your case for you. She explained to me that you are her top photographer and she wished for you to be here to represent her paper. She said she understood the agreement we have in place and didn't want to break it but felt that she couldn't help but do so."_

Oh no, here goes thought Simone, she is about to tell me that she didn't agree with Delilah and that I am headed for ten years in the clink.

"_I have agreed on one condition Simone. You are not to show yourself to Annabelle. You take your photos and you leave. You do not talk to anyone, do you understand?"_

Simone felt like a school child who had just been scolded, hardly the thirty six year old woman that she was. She agreed to the Senators terms.

Annabelle was walking down the corridor towards the auditorium where the press conference would be held when she heard her mother's voice.

"_I am glad you agree Miss Bradley. I will see you out there then."_

At the sound of the door opening, Annabelle stepped into the utility closet and waited. Once she had heard her mother pass she slowly went towards the room her mother had come out of. Could it be the same Miss Bradley? Had her mother really been talking to Simone? Annabelle knew that no matter what the consequences, if Simone was this close she couldn't hold herself back from seeing her.

She opened the door slowly and peeked into the room.


	3. Chapter 3

_Very short I'm sorry and again I'm not 100% happy with the direction but I will run with it for now and see where I go. Will try produce a longer chapter 4 and assemble some sort of order._

_**Again I do not pretend to own the characters.**  
_

Chapter 3

At the sound of the door opening Simone jumped up from her seated position. She expected to see the senator again , probably here to issue again the final warning, she was totaly shocked to see Annabelle.

At the sight of the young woman she loved, Simone's world went black and she collapsed on the floor.

Annabelle raced over to the older woman. Damn she had sent her into shcok. "Simone, Simone can you hear me, open your eyes baby, please" Annabelle cradled the woman in her arms, tears falling as she looked down and saw that Simone was wearing the buddah beads she had given her. She loves me Annabelle thought to herself.

Simone opened her eyes at the sound of Annabelles sobs. She knew she should get up and run, that she would pay a dear price for this encounter, but the feeling of the young womans arms around her held her firm.

"I love you Annabelle, I haven't stopped thinking of you every day for the last three years"

Annabelle sobbed even louder, she was finally with the woman she loved. To know Simone loved her back was everything she had wanted.

"I love you too Simone. Now we can finally be together" she lowered her head capturing her lovers mouth in a kiss that was gentle but full of passion.

Simone returned the kiss with equal passion, she ran her hands through Annabelles hair, down her arms, over the smooth of her abdomen. The need for each other was overwhelming. They drank each other in, where one ended the other began.

After several minutes Simone reluctantly broke it off.

She rose from the floor and looked at the younger woman. Her heart ached with love and pride. Simone knew that what she was about to do though was going to break it, not only hers but Annabelle's aswell.

"Annabelle, we can't. I promised your mother I wouldn't see you again. I love you, more than anyone I have ever loved before, but I can't do this. You deserve to be with someone free, someone who can give you things I can't. If we were to do this we would always be looking over our shoulders, waiting for your mother to bring the law down over what happened at school. I can't put you through that, and selfishly, I don't want to go to prison. Never forget though Annabelle, I love you. No one will ever replace you."

With that Simone left the room.

Annabelle crumpled to the floor in tears.


End file.
